HUNTING Tiff: BIG HORN IN THE CHEE-ON-NEES. 287 



tired by Ed and John, and felt sure they 

 had made a killing; but they soon alter 

 came up, each reporting having missed 

 every shot. 



Alter a short rest we started for camp, 

 making a long circuit rather than attempt 

 to descend the ice wall. 



We had gone but a short distance when 2 

 rams appeared 400 yards ahead of us, and 

 stopped for a minute to eye us. One of 

 them was the finest and largest specimen 

 I ever saw. We stood and watched them 

 but did not fire. 



We decided to move camp further into 

 the mountains and were up for an early 

 start. Our packs were adjusted and every 

 thing ready, when I saw Ed raise his rifle 

 and tire. Looking in the direction he fired, 

 I saw a young ram wheel around, give 2 

 or 3 bounds and fall dead, not 100 yards 

 away. 



It proved to be a 2 year old and an ex- 

 cellent piece of meat. I carefully measured 

 it and when it was skinned, added the skin 

 and head to my pack. I was yet weak, but 

 determined to keep at work. We had not 

 gone more than a mile, however, when I 

 was compelled to surrender my pack; hir- 

 ing John to carry it on top of his. We pro- 

 ceeded slowly until afternoon, when we 

 found a comfortable camping place, con- 

 venient to the high hills we desired to hunt. 

 We buried most of our meat in a large 

 snow bank for safe keeping. All the after- 

 noon we rested and feasted and after a 

 good night's sleep, I felt almost my usual 

 self. Taking some roast sheep and our 

 blankets, we left camp the next morning, 

 determined not to return without trophies. 

 We followed a well defined sheep trail to a 

 high rocky point from which 3 sharp ridges 

 extended. Here we lunched and each took 

 a position to watch one of the ridges for 

 sheep; our positions not being more than 

 100 yards apart. 



We had been watching for an hour when 

 I heard John whistle, and saw him motion- 

 ing me to come to him. On reaching his 

 position, he pointed to a patch of snow al- 

 most a mile away on which were 2 animals, 

 one lying, the other standing. 



We decided to stalk them and at once 

 started, travelling below the backbone of 

 the ridge in order to keep out of sight of 

 the quarry. 



We had proceeded some distance that 

 way, when we discovered the same 2 ani- 

 mals coming toward us, not more than J4 

 of a mile away. We were in plain view and 

 lay down on the rock to keep them from 

 seeing us. On they came, first trotting 

 then galloping; one stopping to nibble a 

 bit of grass and then the other. 



They again found a patch of snow and 

 down they both went. " Heap fat, afraid 

 their glease will melt." said John. 



One did not stay long on the snow, but 

 went to feeding around. The other re- 

 mained, his head toward us, and just out of 



rifle range. He would lay down on his 

 side, then rise on his knees, continuing 

 these movements For several hours. 



We were almost paralyzed from lying on 

 the rocks in such uncomfortable positions, 

 vet did not dare to show ourselves. 



Finally 1 wormed my way up the slide, 

 crowding aside rocks to avoid raising my 

 body above them. The boys followed, and 

 just 4J/2 hours after we were first caught m 

 this rock pile, we reached the top of the 

 ridge. There we found easy positions from 

 which to watch the game. 



Soon after this, the ram left the snow and 

 joined his mate and both went down the 

 mountain. We watched until they disap- 

 peared over some benches. Then John and 

 I started after them, at our best speed. 

 Reaching the point where we saw them dis- 

 appear we traveled on more cautiously, but 

 kept up a good gait. 



Carefully advancing in this manner, I 

 saw one of the animals to the right, on the 

 bench below and about 150 yards from us. 



I touched John and he stepped back. I 

 threw my rifle to position and as I did so 

 the ram started to run, but was too slow. 

 As he made the first spring I caught him 

 fair in the shoulders and sent him down. 



Turning quickly to locate his mate, I 

 discovered him fully 200 yards to my left, 

 running. Throwing a cartridge in my rifle, 

 I took deliberate aim and fired, crippling 

 the animal; but I could not tell how badly, 

 as it kept going. I followed as fast as I 

 could, stopping to shoot every time I came 

 in sight of the ram; and not until I fired 

 my 8th shot did I have the satisfaction of 

 seeing him go down. 



I was using the same rifle that I had used 

 the entire trip; a Winchester single shot, 

 carrying Sharps special ammunition, 45- 

 100-550. 



Ed hearing the shots, brought our 

 blankets, frying pan and tin bucket, in 

 which tea was made, to the canyon below, 

 and prepared camp, while I got my meas- 

 ures and skinned the animals. 



The next morning we started with our 

 skins and heads for our little camp. We 

 had gained the high ridge and were follow- 

 ing a sheep trail, when I discovered, to our 

 right and about 400 yards ahead, a large 

 ram, standing perfectly still and looking at 

 us. We all dropped to our knees, and I 

 slipped from my pack and asked Ed and 

 John to remain quiet, while I stalked the 

 game. I started to place a cartridge in my 

 rifle, when it dawned on me that I had done 

 an awkward thing. During the jubilee in 

 camp the evening before. I drew 7 from the 

 rifle, as I thought, an empty cartridge. In 

 reality I had drawn the shell and powder, 

 leaving the bullet stuck in the barrel. 



It was not safe to return for one of the 

 other guns, and yet what would be the re- 

 sult of crowding another cartridge on the 

 ball now in the rifles. There was no time 

 for reflection. Down went the cartridge, 



